Do you know the real meaning of the word Otome? Many Brazilian otakus mistakenly associate the term otome as a female version of otaku. In this article, we will explore its true origin, history, and meaning.
Many Brazilian otakus, ignoring the nature of the words, end up using without knowing their real meaning. The term "otaku" itself is already derogatory in Japan, given the history of the origin of this term.
Other Brazilians claim that otome means princess, and for this reason it was chosen to be the feminine of otaku in the West. Is that really all there is to it?
The word Otaku [オタク] is a term used to refer to people who are addicted to something. This word began to be used frequently to refer to fans of anime and manga. The video below talks more about:
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The Meaning of the Word Otome
In Japan, the word Otome [乙女] actually means "maiden," in the context of a pure and virgin girl. It has absolutely nothing to do with manga and anime obsession, nor is it related to the word otaku.
The original word otome [乙女] derives from the ideograms for woman [女] along with [乙] which means last, duplicated, strange, witty. However, its origin comes from the old verb otsu [復つ] which means to become young.
In fact, the word otome can also be a colloquial alternative version of shoujo [少女] which means little girl; maiden; girl; woman generally between 7 and 20 years old.
The word otome [乙女] can also mean daughter, girl, and young lady just like shoujo. There is also a unique ideogram that has one of its readings as otome [嫮] which means beautiful girl.
There are several compound words of otome [乙女] that help you understand the essence and meaning of the word. For this we will list some of these words below:
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
| 乙女座 | otomeza | virgin (constellation) |
| 乙女百合 | otomeyuri | maiden lily |
| 乙女男子 | otomedanshi | effeminate man |
| 乙女心 | otomekokoro | girl feeling |
| 乙女桜 | otomezakura | primrose |
| 乙女チック | otomechikku | female; girl |
Some girls don't like to be called otome because they think it means virgin, but that's not the only meaning of the word. In fact, there are even Japanese women who have the name otome with the same ideograms.
Origin of the term otome
Some western Otakus claim that this term originated because of a street called Otome Road in Tokyo where there were several stores of products aimed at otakus, but that it was predominated by girls.
The shops on this street were famous for selling Yaois manga and anime. In fact, the term may properly fall, as otakus in Japan are notorious for not relating, referring to virginity.
The term otome is also used in a genre of romance visual novel games called otome game. This term has been used for a long time and may have a slight relation to the popularization of otome in the West.
For the Japanese, the word otome is not an insult, it simply means a pure or virgin girl. In fact, this is the ideal image of girls for the Japanese. Probably a Japanese person has already used this term with their beloved.
The simple fact that otome is used as a genre of relationship games ends up making this term have a lot of relation to girls who are addicted to anime, mangas, and games.
How did the term become popular?
Because of the large number of otaku girls who attend Otome Road, the term has started to be incorrectly used by anime fans in the West to differentiate otakus.
Probably some foreigner or a Japanese person living in Japan spread this term in the West through forums like 2chan and 4chan or YouTube channel.
Otome road is located in Ikebukuro - Tokyo
There is no way of knowing exactly when this started, what the mess was made and who made the mess. I just noticed people using this term on Facebook pages and groups related to anime/manga.
In mid-2011/2012, there were several otaku pages on Facebook that are probably still active but don't attract as much attention as before. Also, the reach of Facebook pages has decreased by 90%...
Fujoshi was once an Otaku female
A more appropriate term for most girls who frequent Otome Road would be Fujoshi, since they love yaoi and have nothing to do with purity. Wait, has this already happened?
Did you know that the term Fujoshi was once used to refer to Otaku girls. The first time the term appeared in Japanese media, she was considered an Otaku female.
Everything happened in 2005 in the Japanese magazine Aera. We don’t know if the term caught on, but it usually makes sense since most otome enjoy Anime Boys Love.
If you don't understand what I'm talking about, the term fujoshi refers to girls who are fanatics about watching anime or reading manga with homosexual romance of boys.
Otaku or Otome? Which one to use?
Otaku is a unisex word. In other words, it serves for both female and male genders. However, there are still some people who keep pushing. "HURR DURR WANNA BE MY OTOME?" in full 2018.
If someone corrects you saying that you should be called otome, show them this article. There is no right or wrong term, in Brazil this is just slang, so it doesn't apply to the true meaning of the Japanese language.
I personally don't even like being called otaku, nowadays even in Brazil this term has become derogatory. The otakus and otomes in Brazil are being seen the same way as those in Japan.
Otaku in Japan is a derogatory term that encomes not just anime fans but people addicted to anything. You can read more about the term otaku in this other article.
